Semaphore-signal



3' Sheets-Sheet 1' (No Model.)

H. P. cox. SEMAPHORE SIGNAL.

Patented 001;. 24, 1882.

.ATTYS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. P. COX.

SEMAPHORE SIGNAL.

No. 266,350. Patented Oct. 24, 1882.

4 WW?! I" INVENTOR! HENRY F. 00X, BY JffilflzadlLVQ,

V ATTVS.

(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 3.

H. I. 00X. SEMAPHORE SIGNAL.

No. 266,350. Patented Oct. 24, 1882.

. WITNESSES! INVENTORI ATTYB HENRYF. 00x, fi I JfLMQeAdL'r- N. PETERS. Phowumo n hor. Walhington, D. c

ilwrrno STATES PATENT @rrrce...

HENRY r. cox, or ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEMAPHORE-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,350, dated October 24, 1882.

Application filed August 8, 1881. (No model.)

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. COX, of Altoona, county of Blair, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Semaphore-Signals; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention consists mainly in the combination, with a single supportingpost and a single lamp located on one side of a post, of two semaphores carrying lenses located on different sides of the post, the construction being such that the singlelamp located upon one side of the vertical center furnishes light to two semaphores pivoted to the center, as will be hereinafter described.

It consists, further, in the combination of a semaphore adapted to fly to danger when free to move with a connectingrod, and adapted to pull the semaphore from danger, as will be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a signal-post and its attachments;-

Fig. 2, a front elevation of the top of the signalpost with the semaphore arms and lenses in the position of safety, Fig.3, a planiview of the post, the lantern, and the semaphores; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, front elevations of signalposts and their attachments, the semaphores of which have two lensesinstead of one; Figs. 7 and 8, views illustrating a modified form of signal adapted for use in connection with a curved track.

To enable others skilled in the art to make niyinvention and properly use the same, I will proceed to describe fully its construction and manner of operation.

A, Fig. 1, represents the signal post or pillar, which is located at any proper point in reference to the track or tracks in connection with which it is employed.

B represents a semaphore strongly pivoted to the post, near the top of the same, consisting of an extended arm or blade, I), located upon one side of the pivot-point, and a short arm, I), having a ring portion, 11"", holding a lens, I), as shown, located uponthe other side of pivot-point.

0 represents a connecting-rod, the upper end of which is attached to the arm I) of the semaphore and the lower end to the horizontal arm of the hell crank lever c, pivoted to the post at the proper point, as shown.

D also represents a connecting-rod one end of which is attached to the vertical arm of the lever c, and the other end of which is extended into the signal-station, and isprovided with a handle, (I, as shown.

d, Fig. 4, represents a stud or stop upon the rod D, which is provided'with a straight side, d and an inclined side, (1 for the purposes hereinafter explained.

E represents the operators table, which is located in convenient proximity to the handle 61, and is provided with a back-board,e, having a slot, 0, as shown.

If desired, the arm I) on the semaphore B may be provided with an auxiliary ring portion, I), holding a lens, L as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

F, Fig. 1, represents a semaphore located upon the opposite side of the post A from the semaphore B, but in the same horizontal plane, the arm f of which extends in the opposite direction to the arm I) when both are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

f, Fig. 2, represents a ring portion in the blade of the semaphore, holding a leus,f as shown. If desired, an auxiliary ring portion, fflholding the lensf, may be employed.

f represents a counter-weight by means of which the blade portion of the semaphore is properlyover-balanced. This seinaphoreisprovided with proper connections leading to the operators table, in the manner before described.

When the two semaphores B and F are in their normal positions, as shown in Figsl and 4, the lenses b f, it will be observed, are located in the same horizontal and vertical plane.

G, Figs. 2, 3,and 6,1"epresents alantern supported upon the post by means of a suitable bracket in such position as to throw the rays through the lenses b f when the parts are in their normal position.

The semaphores B and F are so hung upon their pivots, and in connection with their operating parts so balanced, as to rest,when not positively acted upon, in a horizontal position, this normal position indicating danger.

The operation is substantially as follows: The semaphore-arm b and its lens I) are employed to control one track-say, for example,

the down track-and the semaphore F the other or up track; or the semaphore B may be employed to control the movements in one directionon a single track and the arm F to control the movement in the opposite direction. The parts being in their normal position-that is, the semaphores B F being held by the action of gravitation in ahorizontal position over the tracks--and it being desired to let a train pass over the down track, the handle (I is grasped by the operator and pulled until the stop (leomes in contact with the outert'ace of thebaek-board ot' the table, as shown in Fig. 5. As a result of this action the connecting-rod U is elevated to move the semaphore B against the action of gravitation into the position indicated by dottedlines,Fig.1,andi'ull lines, Figs. Zand 5. It the semaphore has only one lens, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2--that is, the red danger lens-the lantern, now being uncovered, as shown in Fig. 2, will show the white light, and consequently permit the train to pass. If, however,thesemaphorehastwolenses-thered danger and thegreen caution, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6the red lens by this action will be moved from its position before the lantern, and the green lens instead will be moved into position before it, as shown in Fig. 5. A greenlightconsequentlybeingshown,thetrains may pass with caution. \Vhen two lenses are employed the semaphore may be further moved into the proper position to-uncover the lantern by first slightly raising the handle (l for the purpose of disengaging its stop (1, and then pulling it into the position shown in Fig. 6. As a result of this action the semaphore-ain't b is movedintoits lowest position and the lantern is entirely exposed. After the proper signal has been shown the operator releases the handle and permits the parts to assume their normal positions by the action of gravitation. The passage of trains over the other track or in the opposite direction on a single track is controlled in precisely the same way by the semaphore F and its attachments.

A modified arrangement of the parts upon the signal-post, adapted for use in connection with a curved track, is shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

11 represents the signal-post, It the lantern, and h 71. semaphores, arranged at right angles to each other, as shown. By means of this arrangement of parts and location of post the traekseetions running at right angles to each other are covered by a single lamp. The construetion described is specially adapted for use as a block-signal.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a single supporting post and a single lamp located upon one side of the post, two semaphores, B and F, united to the center of the post by a single pivot. one of which semaphores has a lens in its short arm and the other a lens in its long arm, the construction being such that; the rays of light from the single lamp may be transmitted directly through the lens of either semaphore, as described.

2. In con'ibination with a semaphore, sub stantially as described, the handle 1), with the stop (7/, the latter being adapted to limit the movement of the handle at the proper point, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a semaphore, substantially as described, the handle 1), with stop d, and back-board c, with slot 0, the construe tion being such that the stop may be drawn through the backboard when desired, as and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 16th day of July, 1881..

HENRY F. 00X. Witnesses:

W. 1). Cocoa,

Tnos. P. Fos'rER. 

